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The Importance of Your Sleep Environment
I wanted to talk this week about your sleep environment, your place of rest. I'm a big believer in the energy and functionality of a room. You know those rooms where you just walk in and something feels off—the energy is off. We really need the energy/vibe of the room to align with us, especially where we spend such a huge amount of time, like our bedrooms.
I truly think that our bedroom environment can either be conducive or inhibitive to our sleep. And we all know the health consequences of a lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep: reduced focus, memory issues, hormonal imbalances, lower cognition, and mood disturbances—the list goes on. We want to maximize our sleep wherever possible!
Ask Yourself: Does Your Bedroom Promote Restful Sleep?
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Do you like the energy of your bedroom?
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Do you feel calm and at peace, or is it cluttered and energetically cramped?
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Does your bed and pillow actually aid in a good quality sleep, or are you constantly shifting around, waking up with sore necks?
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Is your doona making you wake up cold or causing you to overheat and kick it off in frustration?
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Do your sheets let your skin breathe?
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Is your room aired regularly to prevent a musty smell?
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Do you open your curtains daily to let natural sunlight in?
Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference
It might be time to shake things up. I struggled with my pillow for months before I finally realized I just needed a new one. I literally do not know why I didn’t think of it earlier! I was waking up with sore necks, constantly turning side to side during the night searching for a supportive position. And it made me think—these small things can really add up to either an amazing sleep or a really terrible one.
Special Considerations for Pregnancy
For anyone pregnant reading this, you are going to (hopefully, because I want you to be resting!) spend a LOT of time in your bedroom.
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Is it a room you love to be in?
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Is it actually a comfortable and restful place for you?
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What about the colors—are you surrounding yourself with shades you love?
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Do you have a soft, glowy lamp instead of harsh, bright lighting?
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Are you opening the window daily to let fresh air in?
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Is the overnight temperature slightly cooler? A cooler sleep environment improves sleep quality.
Think about whether it's time to upgrade to a high-quality doona, a supportive memory foam or latex pillow, or luxurious sheets. These things are truly worth their weight in gold.
My Personal Sleep Upgrade
My old mattress was ruining my lower back, and it took me way too long to connect the dots. My back pain was directly caused by my very unsupportive old mattress. Once I switched to a new mattress—new mattress, new Melanie! Not exaggerating.
Here are where my bedroom items are from if you need any inspo!
- Mattress - Sleeping Duck
- Pillow - Ecosa
- Quilt cover - feather goose and duck down from Target
- Flax linen bedsheets - Bed Threads
- Quilt covers - i love colours so i have beautiful bright linen covers from Sage and Clare, Castle & Things, Adairs, Bed Threads
- Lamp - a salt lamp
- Also have a Eco diffuser that i pop lavender oil into
